


A New Family

by Macremae



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Kevin needs a hug, Strexcorp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-18
Updated: 2015-06-18
Packaged: 2018-04-04 22:58:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4156161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Macremae/pseuds/Macremae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A follow up/companion fic to Paradigm Shift inspired by a comment from GuessWho. Carlos's letter pushed Kevin over the edge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A New Family

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GuessWho](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=GuessWho).



> I am a terrible person and Kevin really needs to sort his shit out. That is all.

Kevin was having just the best day.

He had finally begun his new radio show, figured out a name for the desert otherworld, and Carlos was on the verge of a scientific discovery that would drastically further his plans. Plus, it was just so nice and sunny out! Indeed, today was truly the best.

Until Carlos came by with the letter.

Sure, Kevin was disappointed that all of that research and equipment had been destroyed, but the news that Carlos was finally breaking up with that silly Cecil and focusing entirely on his work in New Desert Bluffs was just capital! It seemed like things couldn’t get any better. Then Kevin read the letter.

For the first time in years, tears sprung at the corners of his eyes. The inside of his nose burned, and the tight, gaping hole in his chest bristled with fresh pain.

“Oh. Oh no. This is so sad.”

Of course. Why would it be any other way? He should have expected this.

“No. I don’t like this. I am sad.”

With a trembling hand, Kevin managed to flip off the microphone before he broke. His head fell on top of the blood-smeared desk, arms slipping under it as thick sobs wracked his slender frame. He had been off the mood-regulating pills for over a year now, and the only thing keeping him together used to be the presence of Carlos chattering away beside him. Not anymore.

No. No no no no no.

It wasn’t enough. It wasn’t enough that they had to take Marco away from him, a cold, metal bullet through his wonderful brain. Now they had taken Carlos as well. No town, no family, no corporation, no lover. He could never catch a break. He could never be truly happy. He was truly and totally alone. 

Kevin felt the blood beneath his face thin as his hot tears dripped onto the desk. Carlos’s letter lay on the floor in a crumpled ball, sticky red handprints obscuring some of the writing. The On Air sign was still blinking brightly, and he didn’t have the energy to turn it, or the sound board, off. At least no one could hear him crying.

After what felt like hours, he heard the studio door open. There was the sound of soft, trepid footsteps, and Kevin felt a small, warm hand rest lightly upon his back. He didn’t bother to look up, even as the hand began to slowly rub gentle circles in a vertical fashion. It felt… nice. No one had done that for him since before Lauren had-.

“Tiny radio host? Are you okay?”

The small, childlike voice belonged to Penny, a young masked warrior who had made Kevin his first ceremonial tunic. They were a sweet child, bright and eager to help. It reminded him of his niece, Jenny, back in Old Desert Bluffs. Penny hadn’t needed to be fixed though.

He took a deep, shuddering breath and sat up, causing Penny to jerk their hand from his back. 

“Yes Penny, I’m fine.” Kevin sniffed, composing himself. “I just lost myself for a minute. Don’t worry though, I haven't done the same with my smile.” He demonstrated this by forcing a cheery grin onto his face. He could make a quick trip to Night Vale later and steal some pills from a school cafeteria. The lunch ladies could get you anything for a price, and Kevin still had some regular money on him.

“Oh, okay.” Penny said softly. “But if you need help, you can always ask. I’m a good listener, or, at least, that’s what my Tall Guardian says. You live with us, so you’re kinda a Masked Warrior too. We’re all family here.”

Kevin’s eyes widened. “Family?” he asked, his heart skipping a beat.

“Of course!” they said, “Sure, you’re a little weird, but we all are. Weird is good. It reminds you that nothing is perfect, and that that’s okay. You’re our nezowa. That means family in our native language.”

“Oh, okay. That sounds.... neat.”

As he rose from his chair and walked with Penny out of the studio, Kevin remembered a line from his favorite childhood movie, dim and murky as those memories were.

“Ohana means family, family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.”

Indeed Lilo. Indeed.


End file.
